Fifth-wheel.



H. S. RADER.

FIFTH WHEEL. AIPPLIOATION FILED 001. 18, 1912.

Patented Mar. 2,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES [NVENTOR fi A9 Bade/'- 2 I Altorm y H. S. RADER.

FIFTH WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 18, 1912. 1,1 39,538, Patented Mar. 2, 1915. V 2 SHBETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES INVENTOR E5. Radar.

HARVEY S. RADER, OF PALMERTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

FIFTH-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 18, 1912. Serial No. 726,514.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HARVEY S. RADER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Palmerton, in the county of Carbon and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fifth- Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in fifth wheels and it has for its objects among others, in addition to those usually sought in this class of devices, to provide a simplified and improved form of fifth wheel which shall be oil and dust proof, strong and durable, composed of few parts and those readily assembled and not liable to derangement in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the numerals of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved fifth wheel shown as applied. Fig. 2 is a top plan of the fifth wheel before being applied to the bolster and axle. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the lowermost plate of the fifth wheel. Fig. 4 is an enlarged substantially central vertical section of the device. Fig. 5 is a Vertical section at right angles to Fig. 4, showing the device applied to the axle, the bolster being not applied.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in the different views.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the bottom plate or section of the fifth wheel having the depending arms 2, 2 in pairs, as seen in Figs. 1, 4 and 5, said arms being provided with screw threaded ends 4 upon which passes clips 3, said clips being held in place by the nuts 6, thus securing the lower plate firmly to the axle. The upper face of this lower plate is provided with the central hub portion 10 and the annular channels 11, 12 and 13, the central one of which forms the lower half of a ball race into which is received the balls 14, seen in Figs. 3, 4 and 5.

The annular concentric channels12 and 13 are adapted to receive the felt or other packing rings 15 and 16 respectively, as seen in Figs. 5 and 6.

The upper plate 17 has the downwardly depending flange 18 at its outer edge loosely embracing.,the outer periphery of the lower plate 1, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5, and this depending flange is provided with a peripheral slot 19, as seen in Fig.1, in which is received a screw 20 which is engaged in the peripheral wall of the lower plate 1, as seen in Fig. 4, to limit the movement of the plates relatively to each other and serving also to prevent separation of the upper and lower plates or sections of the fifth wheel.

The upper plate 1'7 is provided with the central annular depending flange 21, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5, which surrounds the hub portion 10, and through the central portion 22 of the upper plate and the hub portion 10 Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

of the lower plate is disposed the screw 23 V which forms the pivot on which the plates have their relative movement. The upper plate is provided upon its under face with an annular channel 24 forming the upper half of the ball race in which the balls 14 are received.

Annular ribs 25 and 26, arranged on the lower plate 1 at the outer edges of the channels 12 and 13, respectively, extend up near to the under surface of the upper plate 17 when the two plates are assembled as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. These ribs 25 and 26 extend above the portion of the lower plate in which the groove 11 is formed, as best illus trated in Figs. 4 and 5, so that the slight working space between the facing portions of the two plates at the ball race is on a different level from the slight working space between the upper edges of said ribs and the under surface of the upper plate. words, these spaces break joints or are staggered so that when the packing rings are in place, there is no danger of dust working into the ball race.

The upper plate or half of the fifth wheel is provided with the arms 27, as seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, which are provided with suitable openings 28 for the passage of bolts or rivets 29'which are employed for securing these arms to the reach 30, as seen best in Fig. 1. The upper plate is also provided with the diametrically oppositely disposed upwardly extending lugs 31, as seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, forming a channel in which is received the bolster 32, suitable bolts 33 being employed, as seen in Fig. 1, and clips 34 are secured on the bolts 33, for securing the same to the bolster.

As seen in Fig. 5, the upper and lower plates are open, as shown at 37 for an ob- In other vious purpose. The upper plate is provided with an oil opening 39, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4:, adjacent the pivot of the plates and also with the oil holes 40, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2 which are staggered, as seen in the latter view, so as to distribute the oil thoroughly to the packing rings and to the ball race.

The annular rib 26 is provided with passages ll, Fig. at, in order that some of the oil may find its way from the channel 13 out between the periphery of the lower plate and the flange 18 on the upper plate.

From the foregoing it will be seen that l have devised a novel, eflicient and reliable form of fifth wheel in which the dust is excluded from the operating parts and particularly from the balls in the ball race, and while the structural embodiment of the invention as hereinbefore disclosed is what at the present time is considered preferable, it will be evident that the same is subject to changes, variations and modifications in details, proportion of parts, etc., without departing from the spirit'of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages. 1, therefore, do not intend to restrict myself to the particular construction hereinbefore set forth, but reserve the right to make such changes, variations and modifications as come properly within the scope of the protection prayed.

WVhat is claimed as new is l. A fifth wheel comprising a lower plate for attachment to the axle of a vehicle, said plate having three concentric annular grooves in its upper surface, the middle groove constituting one part of a ball race and the grooves at either side of the ball race constituting packing grooves, said lower plate also having annular ribs at the outer edge of the packing outer groove, and at the inner edge of the inner packing groove an upper plate for attachment to the bolster of the vehicle, said upper plate having a groove in its under surface to complete the ball race, and flat portions extending across said annular ribs on the lower plate, and packing rings arranged in the grooves provided therefor and engaging said fiat portions of the upper plate, the upper edges of the ribs on the lower plate being on a different level from the edges of the middle groove in said plate for effectively excluding dust from the ball race.

2. A fifth wheel comprising a lower plate for attachment to the axle of a vehicle, said plate having three concentric annular grooves in its upper surface, the middle groove constituting one part of a ball race and the grooves at either side of the ball race constituting packing grooves, said lower plate also having annular ribs at the outer edge of the outer packing groove, and at the inner edge of the inner groove an upper plate having a groove in its under surface to complete the ball race, and flat portions extending across said annular ribs on the lower plate, said upper plate being designed to be attached to the bolster of the vehicle, and packing rings arranged in the grooves provided therefor, and engaging said fiat portions of the upper plate, said ribs on the lower plate extending above the edges of the middle groove in said plate, whereby the working space between the two plates at the ball race and at the upper edges of said ribs break joints for efiectively excluding dust from the ball race.

3. A fifth wheel comprising a lower plate for attachment to the axle of a vehicle, said plate having three concentric annular grooves in its upper surface, the middle groove constituting one part of a ball race and the grooves at either side of the ball race constituting packing grooves, said lower plate also having annular ribs at the edges of the packing grooves, an upper plate having a groove in its under surface to complete the ball race, said upper plate being designed to be attached to the bolster of the vehicle and having a depending peripheral flange fitting down around the periphery of the lower plate, means of connection between said flange and the lower plate, and packing rings in the grooves provided therefor, the rib nearer the periphery of said lower plate having openings therethrough for permitting oil to find its way from the adjacent packing groove out between the periphery of the lower plate and the depending peripheral flange on the upper plate.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARVEY S. RADER.

Witnesses J. A. MOONEY, WOOD TRANSUE.

(Eagles of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the fiommissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

